Tired, she entered the house, locking the gate behind her, and headed straight to their section without greeting or acknowledging the people in the compound.
One woman remarked, “This girl, you have become…” She quickly turned back and said, “Sorry, I didn’t notice, honestly. How are you all doing?”
A fair-skinned woman of average build, folding laundry, hissed and replied, “We’re not fine. One day you’ll even forget your mother. Hypocrite! You can’t even greet us.”
She bowed her head and kept walking, knowing that her mind was elsewhere but also knowing she couldn’t avoid them completely. She repeated again, “Please forgive me.”
The woman clicked her tongue and muttered, “Useless Agola,” then entered her own section, slamming the door. She even insulted her again as “bastard” before going inside.
Her body weak, she reached their living room where her mother was lying down reciting prayers. Her mother looked at her but said nothing, turning her head away. She sat and said, “Good afternoon, Mommy.”
Her mother sat up and asked, “What happened, Intisaar?” She forced a smile, “Nothing, Mommy.”
Changing the subject, her mother asked about someone’s health, and Intisaar replied that they were much better, even saying they might be discharged from the hospital the next day.
Her mother told her to pray and go eat, as her food was covered in the kitchen. She went to the bathroom to make ablution, prayed, then began eating. She asked, “Mommy, where’s Ihsaan?”
Her mother said she had gone to braid her hair. After finishing her food, Intisaar washed her plates, poured water for herself, then told her mother she was going to visit Innah.
Errands, Conversations, and Encounters
On her way, she met Zainab, who asked, “You’re back from Dubiya?”
“Yes, I came back not long ago,” Intisaar replied.
Zainab asked her to tell Innah to give her some millet porridge (dambu), since Innah had bought a lot earlier. Intisaar agreed but reminded her she might forget. Zainab teased her, “If you forget, you’ll regret it.” They laughed and parted.
Arriving at Innah’s section—a very large family house—she found Innah sitting by her living room door mixing herbal medicine. Intisaar frowned and teased, “Innah, don’t you ever get tired of tying and untying these herbs?”
Innah frowned back, “Do you think I do this for your family’s sake?”
After asking about the dambu, Innah denied buying any. Intisaar sighed, “Eat your food, Innah,” then went inside to lie down. Later, Innah came in, and they chatted until Maghrib.
By around 10 p.m., she left with her share of the dambu, also taking Zainab’s portion. Walking home through the well-lit compound still made her heart beat fast.
When she entered and locked the door, her mother asked suspiciously, “Who was that with you?” She laughed, “No one.”
The next morning, after breakfast, Intisaar and her younger sister Ihsaan visited Abba. Kursum was sitting nearby with a frown. Abba chatted warmly, gave Kursum money to fix her hair, and also handed Intisaar ₦2,000 for the same purpose. Kursum looked annoyed but left quietly.
On the way back, they met Hajiya, who glared at Intisaar and said, “I didn’t sleep well because of your father!” Intisaar handed her the ₦2,000, which Hajiya took with insults. Kursum found this amusing, laughing mockingly.
At home, Ihsaan pointed out that the money Abba gave Intisaar was taken by Hajiya. Intisaar simply smiled, “It’s hers anyway.”
Social Visits and a New Connection
Later, Zainab came to collect her dambu. They talked briefly before Zainab left for the supermarket, and Intisaar joined her to buy Golden Morn cereal. They stopped by Zainab’s house for books before returning.
At home, she found her mother getting ready to visit Dubiya with Innah. Not long after, her friend Samira called, insisting they go to Maryam’s house together. Intisaar didn’t want to, but her mother urged her to be polite since Maryam had recently married.
At Maryam’s house, despite some initial tension over Intisaar missing the wedding, they eventually laughed, ate, and chatted. Maryam even gave Intisaar ₦2,000 when she was leaving.
On her way home, Ummi (another elder figure) called from the hospital, saying they had been discharged and inviting her over. At the hospital, as she climbed the stairs, she suddenly felt uneasy and turned back—only to be confronted by a man, Dr. Faruuq. He asked why she was avoiding him. She didn’t answer, but they ended up in Ummi’s ward together.
Faruuq greeted Ummi warmly and then asked Intisaar’s name. Teasingly, Ummi answered for her. Faruuq asked why she’d been avoiding him, apologizing if he’d done anything wrong. Intisaar stayed silent. Before leaving, he asked Ummi for her phone number, which she gave him without asking Intisaar’s permission.
From that day, Dr. Faruuq began calling her regularly—sometimes she answered, sometimes she didn’t. She felt her Ummi had been unfair to give out her number without consent.
One night, while she and her mother were watching TV, he called, saying he wasn’t feeling well and asking her to pray for him. She agreed politely, but her mind was elsewhere.
Description
Arrival Home and Family Tensions
Tired, she entered the house, locking the gate behind her, and headed straight to their section without greeting or acknowledging the people in the compound.
One woman remarked, “This girl, you have become…” She quickly turned back and said, “Sorry, I didn’t notice, honestly. How are you all doing?”
A fair-skinned woman of average build, folding laundry, hissed and replied, “We’re not fine. One day you’ll even forget your mother. Hypocrite! You can’t even greet us.”
She bowed her head and kept walking, knowing that her mind was elsewhere but also knowing she couldn’t avoid them completely. She repeated again, “Please forgive me.”
The woman clicked her tongue and muttered, “Useless Agola,” then entered her own section, slamming the door. She even insulted her again as “bastard” before going inside.
Her body weak, she reached their living room where her mother was lying down reciting prayers. Her mother looked at her but said nothing, turning her head away. She sat and said, “Good afternoon, Mommy.”
Her mother sat up and asked, “What happened, Intisaar?” She forced a smile, “Nothing, Mommy.”
Changing the subject, her mother asked about someone’s health, and Intisaar replied that they were much better, even saying they might be discharged from the hospital the next day.
Her mother told her to pray and go eat, as her food was covered in the kitchen. She went to the bathroom to make ablution, prayed, then began eating. She asked, “Mommy, where’s Ihsaan?”
Her mother said she had gone to braid her hair. After finishing her food, Intisaar washed her plates, poured water for herself, then told her mother she was going to visit Innah.
Errands, Conversations, and Encounters
On her way, she met Zainab, who asked, “You’re back from Dubiya?”
“Yes, I came back not long ago,” Intisaar replied.
Zainab asked her to tell Innah to give her some millet porridge (dambu), since Innah had bought a lot earlier. Intisaar agreed but reminded her she might forget. Zainab teased her, “If you forget, you’ll regret it.” They laughed and parted.
Arriving at Innah’s section—a very large family house—she found Innah sitting by her living room door mixing herbal medicine. Intisaar frowned and teased, “Innah, don’t you ever get tired of tying and untying these herbs?”
Innah frowned back, “Do you think I do this for your family’s sake?”
After asking about the dambu, Innah denied buying any. Intisaar sighed, “Eat your food, Innah,” then went inside to lie down. Later, Innah came in, and they chatted until Maghrib.
By around 10 p.m., she left with her share of the dambu, also taking Zainab’s portion. Walking home through the well-lit compound still made her heart beat fast.
When she entered and locked the door, her mother asked suspiciously, “Who was that with you?” She laughed, “No one.”
The next morning, after breakfast, Intisaar and her younger sister Ihsaan visited Abba. Kursum was sitting nearby with a frown. Abba chatted warmly, gave Kursum money to fix her hair, and also handed Intisaar ₦2,000 for the same purpose. Kursum looked annoyed but left quietly.
On the way back, they met Hajiya, who glared at Intisaar and said, “I didn’t sleep well because of your father!” Intisaar handed her the ₦2,000, which Hajiya took with insults. Kursum found this amusing, laughing mockingly.
At home, Ihsaan pointed out that the money Abba gave Intisaar was taken by Hajiya. Intisaar simply smiled, “It’s hers anyway.”
Social Visits and a New Connection
Later, Zainab came to collect her dambu. They talked briefly before Zainab left for the supermarket, and Intisaar joined her to buy Golden Morn cereal. They stopped by Zainab’s house for books before returning.
At home, she found her mother getting ready to visit Dubiya with Innah. Not long after, her friend Samira called, insisting they go to Maryam’s house together. Intisaar didn’t want to, but her mother urged her to be polite since Maryam had recently married.
At Maryam’s house, despite some initial tension over Intisaar missing the wedding, they eventually laughed, ate, and chatted. Maryam even gave Intisaar ₦2,000 when she was leaving.
On her way home, Ummi (another elder figure) called from the hospital, saying they had been discharged and inviting her over. At the hospital, as she climbed the stairs, she suddenly felt uneasy and turned back—only to be confronted by a man, Dr. Faruuq. He asked why she was avoiding him. She didn’t answer, but they ended up in Ummi’s ward together.
Faruuq greeted Ummi warmly and then asked Intisaar’s name. Teasingly, Ummi answered for her. Faruuq asked why she’d been avoiding him, apologizing if he’d done anything wrong. Intisaar stayed silent. Before leaving, he asked Ummi for her phone number, which she gave him without asking Intisaar’s permission.
From that day, Dr. Faruuq began calling her regularly—sometimes she answered, sometimes she didn’t. She felt her Ummi had been unfair to give out her number without consent.
One night, while she and her mother were watching TV, he called, saying he wasn’t feeling well and asking her to pray for him. She agreed politely, but her mind was elsewhere.